How Visual Distractions Cause Car Accidents in D.C.

Distracted driving is most closely associated with visual distractions—any activity that causes your eyes to wander off the road. Visual distractions are especially dangerous as they impair a driver’s ability to consistently assess their surroundings and potential hazards and take steps to avoid or mitigate an accident.

The popularity of cell phones has made distracted driving the leading cause of car accidents nationally and in most states. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the average time it takes to view one text is equivalent to driving the length of a football field at 55 miles per hour.

Teenagers are especially susceptible to distracted driving and are more likely to engage in risky behaviors, such as texting while driving. According to the CDC, the highest percentage of distracted drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2019 were 15 to 20-year-olds.

In Washington, D.C., the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) reports that 15 to 20 percent of all traffic accidents are caused by distracted driving. Distracted driving has become so pervasive that the District has implemented strict laws to combat the problem. Handheld cell phone use is illegal within the city. It is considered a primary offense, allowing law enforcement to stop and ticket drivers solely for using a handheld device while driving and not as a result of another traffic violation.

What Are Common Visual Distractions in Washington, D.C.?

All major cities have a myriad of visually distracting sites. But Washington, D.C.’s national historic buildings and locales often entice more drivers to look beyond the road and driving responsibilities for a quick glimpse of American history as they pass. Some of the most common causes of visual distractions in Washington, D.C. include:

Accident scenes, rubbernecking
Advertising and digital or changing billboards and signs
Animals in the vehicle or on the road
Attractive scenery, such as the National Mall, Arlington Cemetery, Potomac River
Buildings, especially around the Washington Mall, White House, and historic neighborhoods
Construction zone workers, machinery, and signs
Cyclists and scooters on sidewalks or the road
Emergency vehicles, especially with flashing lights
GPS navigation devices or in-car systems
Grooming or applying makeup
In-car entertainment systems
Other vehicles in heavy traffic
Passengers in your vehicles or others
Pedestrians and tour groups, especially around metro stations
Reaching for food or beverages
Roadside vendors and attractions
Street signs, particularly lit or flashing
Texting, calling, or apps on mobile phones
Unsecured cargo moving around in the vehicle.
Weather conditions, particularly snow

Where Do Most Visual Distracted Driving Accidents Occur in Washington, D.C.?

In Washington, D.C., most car accidents occur in areas with high traffic volume and congestion. Some of the common locations include:

Near tourist attractions: Areas around the city’s major attractions, such as the National Mall, Capitol Building, and the White House, experience a higher rate of accidents, with a mix of local traffic and tourists unfamiliar with the roads.
Downtown D.C.: Many accidents occur in the central business district due to heavy traffic and numerous intersections, especially during rush hours.
Highway interchanges: Interchanges of major highways, such as I-395 and I-295, often experience accidents due to complex merging lanes and high traffic speeds.
Major roads and avenues: New York, Georgia, and Connecticut Avenues have higher accident rates due to heavy use and many intersections.
Residential areas: Neighborhoods with a lot of pedestrian activity, such as Adams Morgan, U Street, and Columbia Heights, see a higher number of accidents involving vehicles and pedestrians.

What Types of Driving Behaviors Occur When You Are Distracted?

Visual distractions also distract cognitive ability, leading to dangerous driving behaviors and increase the risks for everyone, such as:

Abrupt braking or acceleration
Crossing into the wrong lane on curves or turns
Drifting off the road or into other lanes
Failing to notice pedestrians, cyclists, or other vehicles
Failing to stop or stop abruptly
Failing to yield or not yielding the right way
Following too closely.
Incorrect use of turn signals
Making sudden or erratic lane changes or turns
Merging without looking
Running through traffic lights or stop signs
Unknowingly speeding up or slowing down

What Types of Accidents Are Caused by Visual Distractions?

Visual distractions can lead to dangerous accidents in Washington, DC, as they divert a driver’s attention from the road. Some common types of accidents caused by visual distractions include:

Head-on collisions: The sheer force of impact in a head-on collision when a distracted driver fails to slow or stop creates catastrophic injuries and frequent deaths.
Multi-vehicle accidents: In cities with high traffic congestion like Washington, D.C., one distracted driver can easily trigger a chain-reaction crash involving multiple vehicles and devastating injuries.
Pedestrian and bicycle accidents: Visually distracted drivers who fail to notice pedestrians or cyclists can cause catastrophic accidents that cause life-changing or fatal injuries to pedestrians and cyclists.
Rear-end collisions: These occur when drivers fail to notice a slowed or stopped vehicle ahead. They are especially dangerous if the driver is distracted to the point of making no attempt at braking and plowing into the other at full force.
Side-impact or T-bone collisions: Distracted driving frequently causes drivers to run stop signs or lights or fail to yield at intersections, leading to side-impact collisions with others in the intersection. Like rear-end collisions, T-bone accidents are more severe when distracted drivers fail to slow or brake before impact.
Sideswipe accidents: Distracted drivers often drift out of their lane, sideswiping or colliding with motorists in adjacent lanes.

What Types of Injuries Occur in Visual Distracted Driving Accidents?

Injuries caused by distracted driving accidents are typically the same as any other vehicle accident. However, the nature of distracted driving increases the severity of injuries dramatically. Distracted drivers often fail to yield, slow, or stop, and plow into other vehicles, often at great speeds. The subsequent impact results in severe, and often life-threatening, injuries or death, especially to the occupants of the other vehicle. The most commonly seen injuries in distracted driving accidents include:

Amputations or crushed limbs
Back, neck, and spinal cord injuries
Broken and shattered bones
Chest and ribcage injuries
Death
Internal organ injuries
Nervous system damage
Paralysis
Psychological trauma and emotional distress
Scarring and disfigurement
Severe cuts, lacerations, and punctures
Traumatic brain injuries
Whiplash

How Can I Avoid Distracted Driving?

Avoiding distractions altogether is crucial for ensuring your safety and others. Tips to help avoid distractions include:

Familiarize yourself with local distracted driving laws
Adjust your GPS, music, podcasts, seat and mirrors, and make necessary calls before driving
Avoid eating, drinking, or grooming
Use voice-activated controls for your phone, GPS, and other devices
Ask passengers to help with navigation or other distracting tasks
Keep children properly buckled in seats and pets in carriers or behind restraint nets
Set the “Do Not Disturb While Driving” feature on your phone
Invest in a vehicle with advanced safety features that warn you of lane drifting, braking, or collisions

How Can a Washington, D.C. Car Accident Lawyer Help Me?

Distracted driving puts everyone on the road at increased risk of a dangerous accident and catastrophic injuries. When you hire the Law Offices of Duane O. King, our seasoned Washington, D.C. lawyers are dedicated to fighting for the justice and compensation you deserve to recover and put your life back on track. Our experienced legal team will investigate the accident and scene, review police reports, collaborate with your physicians regarding your ongoing medical needs, interview witnesses, hire experts, determine the value of your claim, negotiate with insurance companies, and represent you at trial.

The Washington, D.C. Distracted Driving Accident Lawyers at the Law Offices of Duane O. King Fight for the Justice You Deserve

If a distracted driver has injured you, speak with our skilled Washington, D.C. distracted driving accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Duane O. King. Call today at 202-331-1963 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. Located in Washington, D.C., National Harbor, Maryland, and Falls Church, Virginia, we serve clients in Prince George’s County, including Laurel, Beltsville, Adelphi, College Park, Greenbelt, Mitchellville, Woodmore, Greater Upper Marlboro, Springdale, Largo, Bowie, Capitol Heights, District Heights, Forestville, Suitland, Seat Pleasant, Clinton, Oxon Hill, Temple Hills, and Fort Washington.